Timing reminder



a 1942- M. H. RHODES TIMING REMINDER Filed March 6, 1940 47- O/P/VE) Patented 6, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 'rmmvt tump an I Marcus Hall Rhodes, Hartford, Conn. Applicatio: 32:32.6, flea-rigid 322,5,2

My invention relates to the class of devices which are employed to denote lapses of periods of time, and an object of my invention, among others, is to provide a device for this purpose of simple construction as a reminder of lapses of time not only of the longer periods, as hours, but also of shorter periods, as minutes; a further object of the invention is the provision of a reminder of audible character having tones of a soft and pleasing character; and a further object of the invention is to provide a device embodying the essence of convenience in its manner of use.

One form of a reminder embodying my invention and in the construction and use of which the objects herein enumerated, as well as others, may be attained, is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a view in front elevation of my improved reminder.

Figure 2 is a top plan view with parts broken away to show construction.

Figure 3 is a view in section on a plane denoted by the broken line 3-3 of Figure 2.

My invention provides an extremely eflicient means to serve as a reminder of lapses of time for various-purposes, the device illustrated herein embodying the invention in a convenient form for household uses of which cooking operations may be mentioned as an example, although it may be applied for use for other purposes. In the form shown the device may be readily attached to electric cooking apparatus in any suitable place or may be located in any position convenient for such purpose.

In the accompanying drawing the numeral 5 denotes a case or sound chamber that may be constructed of any suitable material and of any desired form, as shown this case being of generally rectangular shape. Within this case I inclose a timing mechanism typified by that described in U. S. Patent 2,150,633 to Rhodes et al., denoted as a whole by the numeral 6, as it may be of any of the well known types embodying a train of gears and pinions supported in a frame including posts 1 and front and back plates 8 and 8' secured at opposite ends of the posts. The train may be driven as by means of a main spring located in a spring barrel 9 commonly employed in such structure. This mechanism includes means common to devices of this type for regulating the speed. On account of the well known character of this mechanism a further and more detailed description is omitted herein, it being suiiicient to state that the gears and pinions are of such numbers and sizes and are so intermeshed that when the main arbor or spindle on which an indicating member is mounted is rotated to a certain degree a predetermined time will elapse during its return to the starting point, such rotation of said arbor operating to wind the main spring sufliciently for such return movement. The main spring having been previously wound to a certain extent sufiicient power is maintained for all subsequent operations.

The supporting frame for the gear train is secured in the case by a threaded sleeve 4, rigid with the front plate 8, extending through the front wall of the case and held by a nut as shown in Fig. 2.

The main arbor or spindle it of the timing mechanism has a finger piece if secured to its outer end outside of the case, this finger piece tapering to a point at one end to provide an indicator i2 operating in connection with, a dial 13. This dial may have graduation marks it to denote periods of time of such duration as may be desired, numerals l5 being employed certain intervals to denote such periods.

My invention contemplates a timing device of simple and economical construction enclosed in a case for convenient use for household and other purposes, my invention also contemplating such a structure embodying a plurality of timing devices which may be used separately and independently of each other singly or together or which may be combined to effect a common purpose. There is no intent to limit the invention to a single structure. In order to carry out the full intent two structures are shown in the drawing herein. Both of these mechanisms are of the same general construction and the dials may both have the same graduations, but for the purpose of carrying out the full intent as above noted, the structures as shown are graduated difierently, the timing device shown on the left in Fig. 1 being graduated for hours and that shown on the right in said figure being graduated for minutes terminating in an hour. The mechanism of the second device is not specifically shown as it is of the same general construction as that in the device at the left of Fig. l, the second device comprising a dial i6 shown as graduated in terms of minutes and the numeral ll designating the lapse of quarter hours. The small scales l8 designate five minute periods. In both of these structures the indicating member or finger piece is located outside of the case on the front end, and a sounding member to be hereinafter described is also outside of the case.

Each of the mechanisms includes a releasing member secured to the opposite end of the main arbor Hi from the finger piece II. This releasing member comprises two disks l9-20, the disk l9, shown in full in Fig. 3, being secured to the arbor and the disk 20 being mounted on the arbor but rotatable independently thereof. The two disks are connected by'a pin 2| projecting from the disk 19 into an arcuate slot 22 in the disk 20, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 3. The disk I9 has a notch 23in its edge which is inclined on one side for a purpose to be hereinafter described. The disk 20 has a notch with parallel sides, this notch being of a width at least as great as the mouth of the notch 23. This releasing member being shown in Patent 2,150,633 to Rhodes et al. and so of well known construction in mechanism of this type a further showing and detailed description thereof is omitted herein.

A hammer actuator M is pivotally supported on the frame of each of the mechanisms and has a finger 25 adapted to contact with a hammer 26 on its under side, said hammer being pivotally mounted on a post 21, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing. Both hammers operate through an opening 28 in the top wall of the case and against a sounding member or tone bar 29 mounted upon supports 30 projecting from the top of the case. This sounding member is of a musical character such as is employed in some musical instruments in which musical tones are obtained by striking blows upon the sounding member and the resonance or sonority of which is increased by the sound chamber upon which it is mounted.

In the operation of the device the finger piece of the time piece to be used is turned to the graduation denoting the time desired and the timing mechanism will gradually return the finger piece to the zero point at which time a musical note will be sounded by a blow from the hammer which is actuated when said zero point is reached.

in accordance with the provisions of the Patent Statutes I have described the principles of operation of my invention, together with the device which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof; but I desire to have it understood that the device shown is only illustrative and that the invention may be carried out by other means andapplied to uses other than those above set out.

I claim:

1. A timing reminder including a case forming a sound chamber, a mechanical clock mechanism, a timing device inclosed within the case, a winding and indicating member located outside of the case and operatively connected with the timing device, a dial displayed on the outer surface of the case for said indicating member, a signalling member within the case, and means operatively driven by the mechanical timing device to actuate the signaling member at the end of a predetermined time interval, and a tone bar the resonance of which is increased by said sound chamber supported by the case outside thereof to receive blows of the signalling member operating through an opening in the case.

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2. A timing reminder including a case formin a sound chamber, a mechanical clock mechanism timing device inclosed within the case and including a main arbor, a winding and indicating member secured to one end of said arbor outside of the case, a dial displayed on the outer surface of the case for said indicating member, a signal controlling disk secured to the opposite end of said arbor, a spring influenced actuating member positioned within the case for operation by said controlling disk, a signalling member located in the path of movement of said actuating member and within the case, and a tone bar the res onance of which is increased by said sound chamber supported by the case outside thereof to receive blows of said signalling member operating through an opening in the case.

3. A timing reminder including a case forming a sound chamber, two mechanical timing devices inclosed within the case, each of said devices having a winding and indicating member located outside of the case and operatively connected with its timing device, a dial displayed on the outer surface of the case for each of said indicating members marked for indicating hours and minutes of elapsed time, respectively, a signalling member operatively connected with each of said timing devices within the case, and a tone bar the resonance of which is increased by said sound chamber supported by the case outside thereof to receive blows of said signalling members operating through an opening in the case.

4. A timing reminder including a case forming a sound chamber, two mechanical timing devices inclosed within the case and each including a signalling member movably mounted within the case, a sounding device supported by the case outside thereof to receive blows of both of the signalling members operating through an opening in the case, a winding and indicating member located outside of the case and operatively connected with each of said timing devices, and a diai displayed on the outer surface of the case for each of said indicating members, said indicating members and dials being arranged to cooperate to effect sound signals at the ends of different periods of elapsed time.

5. A timing reminder comprising a sound chamber having an opening, timing means within said chamber, sounding bar means mounted on but outside of said sounding chamber whereby its volume and resonance are increased, and signaling means within said chamber cooperating with said timing and said sounding means through said opening to give an audible signal.

6. A timing reminder comprising a sound chamber having an opening, two timing means within said chamber, a single sounding bar mounted on the outside of said chamber, two signalling means within said chamber and cooperating with said timing means and said bar through said opening to give audible signals and two dial and pointer mechanisms on the outside of said chamber by which one of said timing means may be set to function at the end of a predetermined number of hours and the other after a predetermined number of minutes to actuate the signal means and sounding bar.

MARCUS HALL RHODES. 

